Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Stop Me If You've Heard This One...

So Ubaldo came in to start and blows the heck up and gives up a bunch of runs.

Yeah, you heard it before. On August 4, and July 14, and May 27 and May 11.

Makes me just wanna...aaaarrrgghhh!

So whatever.

Chris Seddon came in for the 5th and 6th and 1 out in the 7th, and he only gave up 1 run off 5 hits. Interesting - he's started twice and has had 3 full innings of relief in just 10 days. He's a work horse!

Our man Herrmann was back, as we just can't seem to shake that 8th man. We can't make it through the rotation well enough to feel like we can have a normal-sized bullpen. The Professor took us through the 7th and 8th and didn't give up any runs or hits. Solid!

I'm pretty pleased with our hitting today. Really. It wasn't one of those games where our pitcher spazzed out and our bats went silent, and fielders dropped balls. This was all on the starter and the batters did well to get within 3 runs!

Kipnis was back today, as DH and in the leadoff spot. He ended up going 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts. I'm pretty convinced that the kid is stressin' himself out right now and that's why it took so long to get his neck better. The good news is that today he had a chance to be a real hero (at bat with 1 out, bases loaded) and he at least didn't strike out. Didn't get that game-winning grand slam but at least he contributed!

I can't really pick on Kipnis, though. Asdrubal went 0 for 5 today. Santana was 0 for 3 and got hit by a pitch. Choo finally got a hit after being 0 for his last 16 - it was his 35th double. Woo!

For the second night in a row, the second half of the order was rampin' it up. They got 10 of the team's 11 hits and thus 5 of the 6 RBI.

Michael Brantley had a night worthy of Michael Brantley, going 3 for 4 with a 2-RUN HOME RUN, coming around to score all 3 times. HE was also in a slump, albeit not as long as Choo (0 for his last 10) but sort of monumental for a dude who's hitting .293 in August. Now if only Choo would ramp back up and Santana would stay up, we'd be GOLDEN!

Kotchman was also a little slumpy there, doing just about nothing against Boston, but he's gone 4 for 8 in the two games against the Angels. Tonight he went 2 for 4 again and this time he got himself a 2-run homer! That's his 11th homer and his career high is 14. Last year's total was 10. Think he'll beat it? He's got a month and a half for 4 more - why not? Here we go Kotchman!

Jason Donald was giving it one more shot before Kipnis came back to second. Although seeing how he's gotten 8 hits in his 6 games back, we might be seeing him at 3rd for a bit here. Heck, even short! Tonight he went 2 for 4 and scored a run. His average went up 15 points!

Jack Hannahan is still on the team. Good ol' Jack - not messin' with anyone. Just playing when asked, sitting when not needed...or hurt. Tonight he went 1 for 3 with a walk. Man...he's got half the at-bats of Choo and Cabrera. Where has the time gone with him? Sometimes I wonder if the post-baby energy surge turns in to the 1-year-old teething energy suck of doom. DOOM!

Zeke was batting 9th today (no Lillibridge! Boo!) and went 1 for 4. He got an RBI, and his average is still at .394. They were commenting on the radio that he strikes out way too much for what he's here to do. I kind of agree. Not like he strikes out all the damn time, but I think he's a little touched by the home run bug, having had a whole TWO in his short time here. But he did hustle on a ground ball to the pitcher today and made it to first. Granted, nobody was at first to catch the ball from the pitcher but Zeke was faster than the pitcher and THAT'S what he's here for.

I contest our hitting was pretty decent tonight, even without much help from the top. Some guys are still powering through. As soon as everyone else gets on board, heck, we might be able to overcome some shitty pitching!

Tomorrow is the return of Roberto Hernandez!!!!! IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME!! Or it's gonna suck. It will no doubt be interesting. He's facing RHP (5.82) who used to be good but is not so good this year (lulz no you guys not Ubaldo Jiminez!)

The game is at 10:05 again. No rest. Just one more day then we get an off day, ok? So drink yourself a Pepsi Max and I'll see you there!

Radio Chatter:
"Welp, this game could be over in a matter of minutes if Jiminez doesn't get Trout out."
- Tom Hamilton on Trout's second at-bat in the first with bases loaded

"How lucky are we that he's on our side?"
- Tom Hamilton with regards to the Wounded Warrior who visited the booth

"The Angels are on the verge of breaking this one wide open..."
- Jim Rosenhaus just before Pujols' 3-run homer

"Right now Seddon having a hard time fooling Pujols with anything."
- Tom Hamilton